A microscope set up to show its images on a monitor screen is part of the new Science t2 Go bus. The mobile science lab was unveiled 3/7/2011 at the ETHOS office in Elkhart. The bus will be used throughout Elkhart County for science education. (Truth Photo By J. Tyler Klassen)|123996 J. Tyler Klassen

A partnership between a dream team of nine businesses, the Elkhart County Community Foundation, Elkhart Community Schools and ETHOS has given new life to an old school bus. It will also help science educators in Elkhart County bring new science lessons to their students.ETHOS unveiled its new Science 2 Go bus Monday afternoon with tours of the rolling classroom, fresh popcorn and cake and many thanks to the companies that donated time, talent and resources to the project. The crowd of about 50 included teachers, administrators, employees of the companies who helped as well as ETHOS staff.Before handing out awards, Elkhart Community Schools Superintendent Mark Mow told the crowd that students sometimes call school buses "cheese wagons," and then turning to the newly decorated bus he said, "but not this one."The converted school bus has work stations that include a microscope hooked up to a video monitor, hand-generated electrical demonstrations and a butterfly. The bus will be available for use by schools in Elkhart County. The bus also includes an awning to shade outdoors lessons and is accessible to people with disabilities.

Contributors, teachers and interested public tour the new ETHOS science bus in Elkhart 3/7/2011 as ETHOS Science Initiatives Coordinator David Emory (right) describes how the bus will operate. The converted school bus will be used to help teach science in Elkhart County. (Truth Photo By J. Tyler Klassen)|124000 J. Tyler Klassen